This application relates to the art of switches and, more particularly, to temperature actuated switches that use actuators of shape memory alloy. The invention is particularly applicable to very small relays or thermostats having a resilient switch blade that extends generally perpendicular to an elongated actuator of shape memory alloy and will be described with specific reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader aspects, and that it can be used in other types of temperature actuated switches that have other arrangements of the actuator and switch blade.
Extremely small relays and thermostats are very complicated due to the use of a relatively large number of parts and the difficulty of reliably producing the parts in very small sizes. The same considerations make such relays and thermostats relatively difficult to manufacture and assemble, and makes them relatively expensive. It would be desirable to have a temperature actuated switch that is capable of being manufactured in extremely small sizes with a minimum number of parts, and that can be manufactured and assembled in a relatively efficient and reliable manner.